Heartfelt Thank You

Fuyuki fled from Feng Yiheng’s office like a criminal fleeing from a crime scene. He hurried to the rest room on the second floor and after closing the door behind him he immediately turned the transparency mood back on his wristband, then took a deep breath in a miserable attempt to calm his behind. Then took another, and another, then slowly looked up right into the mirror before him. What he saw was a flushed face with lips the colour of which looked brighter than cherries.

He chose cold water from the drop down menu under the mirror and put his hands under the water that came running from the tap just after it. He hoped that the cold water will be able to cool down his face and return the original colour of his lips. He had to wait for while and splash his face a few times to achieve that but no cold water could calm his mind and his heart that was beating faster than usual.

What the hell has gotten into him? Did he just imply he likes me that way? Well, he did save me this once. So now I not only owe him a drink, I also owe him a thank you at least.

He looked into the mirror again, and after confirming that his face no longer looked so horrendous, he left to return to the reception room where everyone was just as lively as before he left.

Looked around in the crowd and after spotting Annisa, he decided to go up to her and continue where they left off. He was halfway through the crowd when he bumped into a Swedish delegate greeting him with a huge smile.

“I believe we didn’t have a chance to speak yet. What do you think about the speech just now? It was marvellous, wasn’t it? We were just talking about how intriguing it was,” he said enthusiastically while looking at the others standing next to him making Fuyuki to turn and look at the people behind him.

“Yes, it was quite thought-provoking,” he said moderately, trying to ignore the presence of Feng Liwei, who just happened to be among the group of delegates before him.

“Right? Especially the part when he said how we all should strive to be happy and make everyone happy on Earth because happiness is the true objective of mankind. And he compared happiness to a kiss. He said it’s like sharing a kiss or something,” he said laughing, involuntarily making Fuyuki uneasy.

“No, he said that happiness is similar to a kiss in a way that both must be shared in order to enjoy it.”

Fuyuki tried not to look at Feng Liwei, who must know better than anyone what his father just said a few minutes ago. Unlike Fuyuki, who wasn’t even present when that certain speech was made.

“As I said, it was thought-provoking indeed. But everyone has a different conception of happiness, while a kiss is just a kiss,” Fuyuki replied calmly.

“Does that even matter?” asked the Swedish delegate and started laughing at the others. “If both parties are happy that’s all that matters.”

Fuyuki looked at Feng Liwei, who seemed to have a sparkle in his eyes but perhaps only the lights reflecting on them made them seem so. Still, it made him even more uneasy than he already was.

“The happiness of mankind can only be achieved if everyone becomes more accepting of the other’s reasons for happiness and we all try to mutually help each other in achieving the things that make us happy and content. And now, if you’ll excuse me...”

Fuyuki’s serious reply made the Swedish man stop laughing and he didn’t even say a word to stop Fuyuki in leaving.

They looked at Fuyuki’s back getting farther away from them and finally stopping at another group of people, then continued the discussion where they left off.

Fuyuki felt a lump in his throat making him hard to breathe and felt his neck itch from anxiety making him want to scratch it until he feels satisfied. He was just about to act on his thought when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. After taking it out and opening the message, he only saw three words.

Winter Breeze to Wintry Tree:

I got it.

It was just these three words but it made him feel a bunch of different feelings all at once contradicting each other inside his mind. He was glad because he still had a chance to get his hand on that blueprint and he no longer has to try another method to get it himself by practically breaking in to places he doesn’t supposed to be in. But this also means that now he needs to hand over the information in return for the document.

Fuyuki put the phone back into his pocket, while trying to weigh whether the information he has about the Major worth such an important document. After giving it much thought he came to the conclusion that it isn’t.

“What is it? Is there a problem?” Annisa suddenly turned to him curiously.

“Nothing, just...”

“I saw your mind is somewhere else entirely.”

“Sorry. I’ve gotta go,” he said and smiled at the woman, who was probably one of the few people being really concerned about him.

He looked around, trying to locate the Major but the he was no longer with the group, where the Swedish delegate was still talking enthusiastically. So, Fuyuki walked past them, walking around casually as if he was just enjoying his time.

A few minutes later, he saw a familiar back through the window of the balcony. He went to the waiters and after getting two glasses of whiskey, he grabbed the glasses to bring it to the man on the balcony.

Feng Liwei’s solitary figure seemed majestic and lonely from a distance and even up close.

“Alone again, Major?” he asked making the man before him turn his head to look at him.

“I didn’t think I would get my explanation this quickly,” came the reply.

“And I thought that you were smoking just now, so we’re even.”

“My voice back then wasn’t hoarse because I’m a smoker.”

Feng Liwei grinned at Fuyuki making his unease return again.

“I thought you were because of your posture,” he said pointing at the Major, who was still leaning over the railing and only turned back slightly to look at Fuyuki while talking to him.

He tried to walk over naturally to the Major but he felt stiff and nothing like his usual self at all.

“Here,” he said finally and gave him one of the glasses in his hands.

“I thought you only like sweet drinks,” he said suprised seeing Fuyuki drinking the whiskey and grimacing at its bitter flavour.

“I do prefer to drink those, so you aren’t wrong. But that doesn’t mean I can’t drink things like this,” he said raising the glass in his hand.

“Do you always do things you don’t want to just to achieve your objective?”

“Not always,” Fuyuki replied and came closer to stand right next to the Major. “But I would do it if I don’t have any other means to achieve it.”

“And your objective being?” he asked tauntingly.

“Freedom.”

Fuyuki’s serious reply was met with silence. Feng Liwei drank the whiskey Fuyuki brought him and looked into his empty glass for a long time before saying something.

“Aren’t we are already?” he asked finally without looking up.

“You know the answer to that better than I do. But whatever. You wanted to know why I went to your father’s office. I was looking for a document and I thought it might be in there. I couldn’t find it because you came in before I could have the chance to search for it properly. But that doesn’t matter anymore. So you needn’t worry.”

“I didn’t say I was worried about you.”

“I didn’t say you should be.”

Fuyuki’s serious reply made the grin on the Major’s face fade a little as he looked at Fuyuki to observe his expression.

“But I think I should. A leader should always worry about his people, otherwise he is doomed to fall the moment he stops being concerned about them.”

Oh, so he actually cares about the people? If that wasn’t all just talk, then he might be a good person after all.

“Thank you.”

Hearing this, Feng Liwei straightened his back to stand before him face-to-face.

“For what?”

“For not telling on me.”

“Can we talk somewhere else?”